Josh McGlade - Cottonwood Elementary

"Growing up, I never thought I'd want to be a teacher," says Josh McGlade. "I don't think I'd trade this job for the world. It's rewarding, it fun, and I get to play with kids all day."

In addition to all those benefits, the first grade teacher at Cottonwood Elementary says teaching brings out his inner child. "I just really realized that I got along with little kids really well, probably because I think the same way they do," said McGlade, chuckling.

McGlade adds that putting oneself in a student's shoes is a key to educational success. "When [kids] worry about something, it is really big to them, so I can see that from their point of view. I can kind of look at things like 'If I had never seen this before - if it was something brad new - what would I do to make sure I understand it?'" he says.

For McGlade, it's much more than just thinking like his students, it is adapting to them. Each and every one of his students receives a tailor-made education. "One of the things that I try really hard to do is make sure that I take each kid and think about what they might need in order to learn the best," says McGlade.

Finally, McGlade says it is those students that keep him coming back day after day. "To see them learn something new and they get excited about it - it's inspiring, it's very cool," he says. "It's neat to see that you make a difference in somebody's life."

Want to nominate a teacher is either Natrona or Converse county? E-mail their name, the school they teach at, and why they should win to teacher@k2tv.com. The winning teacher will receive a $50 gift card from Reliant Federal Credit Union.